August 17 / 16.42 Pontefract

16.42

Good

Pontefract Races True Yorkshireman Package Handicap

  • Prize money: £4638.6
  • 2m 1f 27y
  • Class 5
  • 5 runners
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Pontefract Races True Yorkshireman Package Handicap

Runners: 5 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Partly cloudy

11/4 (Won)

  • Win: £2.55

Form: -84652

Last run: 29 days

W: 9st 7lb

3 yo Colt

OR: 74

Form & Verdict
3yo who is 0-7 but ran his best race yet when upped to 16.5f at Doncaster (good to soft) four weeks ago, finishing second of six; has also shown promise on good/good to firm ground; came clear with a progressive winner last time (who has gone in again since) and he's firmly in calculations.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

2

3rd Jun 2026

Good To Firm

2m 3f 0y

Class 4

19:30 Warwick

Kentucky River

11st 3lb

J: Robert Dunne

T: Olly Murphy

Fair Flat racer who won easily over hurdles at Huntingdon (2m4f, good) in April, his second handicap; well beaten in valuable Fakenham contest since but back in calmer waters and on a more conventional track here; remains of interest, albeit the forecast rain may not be in his favour.

6/1

9th

12

4th May 2026

Good

2m 4f 1y

Class 2

17:13 Fakenham

Kentucky River

10st 2lb

J: Sean Bowen

T: Olly Murphy

Fair Flat racer who got off the mark over hurdles with easy success at Huntingdon (2m4f, good) last month, his second handicap; hiked up 15lb for that but still can't be opposed with much confidence here.

5/1

3/1

Form: 124152

Last run: 20 days

W: 10st 2lb

5 yo Colt

OR: 72

Form & Verdict
Two AW wins this year (1m6f/2m) and another on good ground over hurdles; runner-up at Yarmouth (1m6f, good to soft) three weeks ago when back on the Flat and can give another good account
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

10th

3

(12)

20th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

2m 5f 143y

Class 2

18:10 Ascot

Carlton

9st 4lb

J: Cieren Fallon

T: James Owen

All eight Flat wins have been on the AW, though he's won twice over hurdles at up to 2m4f; very capable at the right level but this isn't it; faces a mammoth task on all the figures.

80/1

4th

9

(1)

8th May 2026

Good

2m 2f 140y

Class 2

16:10 Chester

Carlton

9st 5lb

J: David Probert

T: James Owen

Highly fruitful in his two and a half years with this yard, including two wins (Flat/hurdles) this February/March; needs to bounce back from a rare flop but the chief concern is his 0-15 record on Flat turf.

18/1

5th

4

(4)

9th Apr 2026

Standard

2m 0f 102y

Class 4

16:25 Southwell (AW)

Carlton

9st 9lb

J: Mason Paetel

T: James Owen

Thriving at present and he followed up 1m6f Chelmsford success in February with an emphatic victory over hurdles at Huntingdon last month; big shout once more.

9/4

20/1

Form: 6-0765 D

Last run: 11 days

W: 9st 12lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 68

Form & Verdict
Won two in a row last August/September and is well handicapped on that form but he hasn't been at the top of his game so far this season, most recently fifth of seven over C&D (good to firm) 11 days ago.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

2

(4)

17th Jul 2026

Good To Firm

2m 1f 208y

Class 5

15:27 Nottingham

Merrijig

9st 7lb

J: Jason Watson

T: John Berry

Adaptable regarding ground and tactics; this looks less competitive than the Ffos Las 0-65 in which he finished second last time (hampered; two of these behind) and his claims are obvious.

7/4

2nd

2

(2)

30th Jun 2026

Good To Firm

2m 0f 0y

Class 6

20:39 Ffos Las

Merrijig

9st 8lb

J: Gina Mangan

T: John Berry

Done a lot of his winning later in the year but offered more in the returning blinkers last time, back from a couple of months off; boasts a decent record when dipping below 0-70 company and won't mind any rain.

5/1

3rd

1

(1)

8th Jun 2026

Good

2m 1f 27y

Class 6

20:00 Pontefract

Merrijig

9st 9lb

J: Gina Mangan

T: John Berry

Was 2-3 on the AW until disappointing at Kempton two months ago but he had been running well in the blinkers (reapplied) and he's a three-time turf winner on a competitive mark.

8/1

Form: 8-2221

Last run: 39 days

W: 9st 7lb

5 yo Colt

OR: 63

Form & Verdict
Runner-up on first three starts this season before getting off the mark at the 18th attempt in a first-time visor (retained) at Catterick (2m, good to firm); had plenty to spare last time and a 5lb rise could be lenient.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

12th

7

7th Jun 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 47y

Class 4

15:17 Perth

Cosmic Soul

11st 8lb

J: Brian Hughes

T: Patrick Neville

His hat-trick (2m1f-2m4f; good) has come at a cost mark-wise but it was all very straightforward last time at Sedgefield; something has clicked big time and he could deal with another 6lb.

100/30

1st

3

1st Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 3f 188y

Class 5

16:40 Sedgefield

Cosmic Soul

11st 12lb

J: William Maggs

T: Patrick Neville

Kickstarted 2026 with a Flat success at Southwell and he's bagged back-to-back handicaps here since, readily landing the odds over C&D 13 days ago; hiked up 10lb now but thriving and still the one to beat.

11/8

Form: 997814

Last run: 3 days

W: 9st 0lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 56

Form & Verdict
10yo who returned to form with a win at Musselburgh (2m2f, good) on August 1; however, well beaten when last of four at Beverley (2m, good to firm) on Thursday; it's hard to be confident after that.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4

15th Oct 2025

Good

3m 0f 26y

Class 5

16:20 Wetherby

Red Force One

11st 11lb

J: Miss Natasha Cookson

T: Philip Kirby

Well-beaten when back over hurdles last month but stayed on well from poor position to go close under Natasha Cookson at Kelso (2m5f, good) ten days ago and looks well worth a crack at 3m.

7/2

10

16th Sep 2025

Good

2m 7f 70y

Class 4

14:10 Uttoxeter

Red Force One

11st 1lb

J: Joe Williamson

T: Philip Kirby

Won small-field Flat marathon off much reduced mark last month but has not run over hurdles since summer 2023 and his current ability in this sphere is hard to gauge; best suited by good or faster ground.

25/1

Non-runners

Al Sayah

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £5.40
Straight Forecast £6.69
Trifecta £13.10

Selections

Telegraph:

Cosmic Soul

SPOTLIGHT:

Kentucky River

NEWMARKET:

Carlton

The Times:

Al Sayah

RP RATINGS:

Kentucky River

POSTDATA:

Kentucky River

Daily Record:

Kentucky River

D Express:

Cosmic Soul

Daily Mirror:

Cosmic Soul

The Sun:

Cosmic Soul

The Star:

Cosmic Soul